Filing systems



'Nov. 29, 1966 D. L. HYAMS FILING SYSTEMS Filed July 20, 1965 United States Patent Ofiice 3,288,144 Patented Nov. 29, 1966 3,288,144 FILING SYSTEMS David Leonard Hyams, Croydon, England, assignor to Roneo Limited, Croydon, England, a British company Filed July 20, 1965, Ser. No. 473,393

Claims priority, application Great Britain, July 31, 1964,

3 Claims. (Cl. 12916.7)

The invention relates to filing systems for papers, documents and the like, of the kind in which the matter to be filed is supported vertically in pockets formed in concertina fashion, particularly where the matter is inserted into and removed from the pockets in a horizontal direction, but is also applicable to such systems where the matter to be filed is inserted from above.

It is common practice to form a concertina like structure from stiff paper pockets which are joined each to the next at the upper edges, the edge of the one pocket being folded over and formed as a loop in cross-section around a plain support bar while the edge of the adjacent pocket is attached to a channel section support bar which fits over the adjacent plain support bar and thus bring together the upper edges of adjacent pockets It is a disadvantage of the above and other similar constructions that two support members are required, and this makes the systems expensive.

The object of the present invention is to provide a filing system of the kind referred to which is simpler and cheaper to manufacture than heretofore.

The invention is directed to a filing system of the suspended type including a plurality of file pockets, each pocket being defined by front and rear walls having upper and lower edges and front and rear edges interconnected along the lower edges thereof, the upper edge of one of said walls being folded over to provide a first loop portion extending throughout the axial extent of said wall, fastening means adjacent each front and rear edge of said folded over upper edge for maintaining said loop portion with the area between said fastening means being free, the upper edge of the other of said walls being folded over to provide a second loop portion having a length less than the distance between said fastening means so that the second loop portion of a similar and adjacent pocket may be inserted through the free area of the first loop portion and positioned co-axially therewith to join the pockets together, and a bar passing through said first and second loop portions for constituting a common support for the upper edges of adjacent pockets.

The invention still further consists in a concertina like filing system incorporating pockets as above set forth.

The support bar for the pockets may be a simple metal rod bent down at its ends a short distance so as to engage over a common support member for the pockets, and prvided with a crank therein for location of the loops to prevent longitudinal displacement of the pockets in relation to the rod,

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example only, one embodiment of the invention in which the pockets are shown in perspective view both separated and joined in accordance with the present invention.

Each pocket 1 includes a front wall In, a rear wall 1b and means 1c interconnecting the lower edges of such walls. The upper edge of the wall In is provided with a loop 2, which is closed adjacent each front and rear edge by the upper edge of the material being attached to the wall 1a thereof by hollow rivets 3. Along the upper edge of the wall 1b there is provided a second loop 4, which is slightly smaller. The upper edge of the pocket having the loop 4 of less length than the edge having loop 2 so that it may enter the loop 2 of the adjacent pocket between the hollow rivets 3 and be positioned such that the two loop are co-axial thereby providing a tube into which a support bar 5 may be inserted. The loops are cut back on one side to facilitate the insertion of the bar.

The support bar illustrated is formed from a metal rod bent at the ends to form hooks 6 which engage with a common support member for the pockets at the front and back of the file, with the rod 'being cranked to form steps 7 against which the respective ends of the loops are located to prevent longitudinal displacement of the pockets in relation to the rod.

The pockets illustrated, being intended to be used in a filing system in which the papers are inserted in a horizontal direction from the front, the indicating tabs 8 are provided at one front edge and are located by means of teeth which engage in slots formed in the sides of the pockets.

In an alternative form of construction, the support bar may be rectangular in cross-section, and of such shape as to hold indicating slips, and as a consequence the loops may not be continuous throughout their length, and be provided with an aperture through which the holding means for the indicating slip may project or through which the indicating slip may be seen when looking down from above. Such an arrangement is suitable for a filing system in which the papers are inserted and removed from above, such as for example, when the pockets are used in a drawer. The support bars may alternatively be made of plastic or other suitable material as desired.

The folded over portions 9 of the pockets are provided to reinforce the lower corners and prevent wear at this vulnerable point.

The loops 4 are shown closed by staples 10, but other fastening means may be provided, and other fastening means may be provided in substitution for the rivets 3, and the edge of the loop 4 may be left free if desired and not fastened in any way, while other details for carrying the invention into effect may be varied without departing from the scope of the invention claimed.

I claim:

1. In a filing system of the suspended type, a plurality of file pockets adapted to be interconnected in concertina fashion, each pocket being defined by front and rear walls having upper and lower edges and front and rear edges, said front and rear walls being connected along the lower edges thereof, the upper edge of one of said walls being folded over to provide a first loop portion extending throughout the axial extent of said wall, fastening means adjacent each front and rear edge of said folded over upper edge for maintaining said first loop portion with the area between said fastening means being free, the upper upper edge of the other of said walls being folded over to provide a second loop portion having a length less than the distance between said fastening means so that the second loop portion of a similar and adjacent pocket may be inserted through the free area of the first loop portion and positioned co-axially therewith to join the pockets together, and a bar passing through said first and second loop portions for constituting a common support for the upper edges of adjacent pockets.

0 2. The filing system as claimed in claim 1 including fastening means adjacent each front and rear edge of said folded over upper edge of said other Wall for maintaining said second loop portion.

3. The filing system as claimed in claim 2 in which said first and second loop portions are provided on said front and rear Walls, respectively.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,312,717 3/1943 Jonas 129--16.7

4 Hanna l2916.7 Saymon 129l6.7

FOREIGN PATENTS Belgium. France. France. France. Great Britain. Great Britain. Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A FILING SYSTEM OF THE SUSPENDED TYPE, A PLURALITY OF FILE POCKETS ADAPTED TO BE INTERCONNECTED IN CONCERTINA FASHION, EACH POCKET BEING DEFINED BY FRONT AND REAR WALLS HAVING UPPER AND LOWER EDGES AND FRONT AND REAR EDGES, SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS BEING CONNECTED ALONG THE LOWER EDGES THEREOF, THE UPER EDGE OF ONE OF SAID WALLS BEING FOLDED OVER TO PROVIDE A FIRST LOOP PORTION EXTENDING THROUGHOUT THE AXIAL EXTENT OF SAID WALL, FASTENING MEANS ADJACENT EACH FRONT AND REAR EDGE OF SAID FOLDED OVER UPPER EDGE FOR MAINTAINING SAID FIRST LOOP PORTION WITH THE AREA BETWEEN SAID FASTENING MEANS BEING FREE, THE UPPER UPPER EDGE OF THE OTHER OF SAID WALLS BEING FOLDED OVER TO PROVIDE A SECOND LOOP PORTION HAVING A LENGTH LESS THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID FASTENING MEANS SO THAT THE SECOND LOOP PORTION OF A SIMILAR AND ADJACENT POCKET MAY BE INSERTED THROUGH THE FREE AREA OF THE FIRST LOOP PORTION AND POSITIONED CO-AXIALLY THEREWITH TO JOIN THE POCKETS TOGETHER, AND A BAR PASSING THROUGH SAID FIRST AND SECOND LOOP PORTIONS FOR CONSTITUTING A COMMON SUPPORT FOR THE UPPER EDGES OF ADJACENT POCKETS. 